Mounting for electronic devices



Feb. 10, 1948. P. T. SPROUL 2,435,613

I MOUNTING FOR ELECTRONIC DEVICES Original Filed Feb. 18, 1944 INVENTORBy P. 7'. SPROUL A T TORNEV iaten ted Feb. 10, 1948 MOUNTING FORELECTRONIC DEVICES Philip T. Sproul, Chatham, N. J., assignor to BellTelephone Laboratories,

Incorporated, New

York, N.-Y., a corporation of New York Original application February 18,1944, Serial No. 522,907. Divided and this application October 11, 1946,Serial No. 702,814

12 Claims. (Cl. 250-141) This invention relates to a mounting forelectronic beam devices and more particularly to such a mounting forcathode ray devices.

This application is a division of my application Serial No. 522,907,filed February 18, 1944.

An object of the invention is to facilitate the mounting of a cathoderay tube or device from the panel of an enclosure casing in relation toa viewing opening therein.

Another object of the invention is to provide a mounting having.shielding and cushioning attributes to protect the device fromextraneous disturbances.

A further object of the invention is to support the magnetic componentsof the mounting assembly in coaxial relation to the tube.

Another object of the invention is to selectively control therelationship of the deflection system and the beam path.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a unitary mountingfor the tube whereby all the auxiliary components of the tube cooperatewith and are supported by the shell casing.

These objects and other advantages are attained in accordance with thisinvention by partially enclosing the cathode ray tube in a shell casinghaving a contour which substantially simulates the shape of the tubewherein the larger diameter portion having the fluorescent screen on theend thereof is situated in a funnelshaped metallic shell and a portionof the neck of the tube is surrounded by a cylindrical cup portionsupporting the magnetic elements for deflecting, focussing and centeringthe electron beam within the tube. A socket is supported resiliently onthe casing assembly and engages the terminal base of the tube. The openend of the casing adjacent the screen of the tube is secured to a panelsupport to aflix the casing, tube, magnetic elements land socket withina cabinet enclosure so that the tube is suspended in the shell casingand the casing projects horizontally to the rear of the panel.

The open end of the shell casing is enclosed by a multirange covermember or scale of transparent material and the casing is provided witha series of lamps around the periphery to cooperate with the edges ofthe scale to facilitate illumination of the different survey rangesinscribed on the scale.

A feature of this construction is the utilization of the shell or shieldas the supporting base for the auxiliary components associated with thecathode ray tube so that axial symmetry of the controlling elements andvibrationless support of the tube may be realized. This is accomplishedby mounting the focussing and centering controls of the beam on the rearof the shield casing in close proximity to the beam projection gun ofthe cathode ray tube and mounting the deflection coil within the neckportion of the casting in an advanced position to influence the beam inits path toward the screen of the tube.

Another feature relates to the adjustability of the deflection coil inthe casing in order to orient the magnetic fields with respect to thebeam of electrons being projected along the axis of the tube. Thisinvolves the location of an annular deflection coil in the cup portionof the shield and adjustably controlling the position of the coil withrespect to the rotational and horizontal relation to the beam in thetube so that the coil is coaXially symmetrical with the axis of thetube.

A further feature relates to the cushion mounting of the tube in theshell to materially reduce shock and vibration effects imposed on themounting during transit and operation under adverse conditions. The tubeis suspended in the shell casing by distributed cushioning meansassociated with the deflection coil, cover member, focussing magnet anda terminating spring mounted socket so that the cathode ray tube iscompletely cradled in a series of shock-absorbing elements whichdissipate extraneous disturbances that might deleteriously affect theuniform operating characteristics of the cathode ray tube.

These and other features and advantages of the invention will be moreclearly set forth in the following detailed description which, togetherwith the accompanying drawings, comprise the disclosure of thisinvention.

Fig. 1 is a side elevational view of the mounting assembly of thisinvention with portions of the casing broken away to show details ofconstruction;

Fig. 2 is a top view of the assembly as shown in Fig. 1 except that thepanel and scope are removed and a portion of the casing is cut away toshow certain internal elements; and

Fig. 3 is an end view of the casing taken on the line 33 of Fig. 2 withthe tube removed from the casing.

The mounting in one aspect of this invention is adapted primarily for acathode ray tube employed in radio finder systems at a stationary pointor in a moving vehicle, such as a ship or aircraft, to search and tracka target over large expanses of land or sea and over a, largeelevationrange to indicate the presence of hostile forces.

As shown in Fig. 1, the cathode ray tube mounting is attached to a panelIn extending in front of radio receiver equipment including a cathoderay device or tube l I having terminal base portion l2 and an elongatedneck portion I3 connected to a conical portion l4 which terminates in aflat end portion i5 having a fluorescent coating on the inner surface,which serves as a screen of the device. The neck portion encloses anelectron gun, not shown, which projects an electron beam towards thescreen on the end portion B5, to excite the fluorescent coating and thebeam may be focussed to a sharp spot on the screen and variablydeflected over the whole surface of the screen to indicate the locationof the spot with respect to the axis of the tube. V

In order to mount the tube II in suitable relation to a panel opening sothat the screen may be viewed efliciently, the tube is supported on therear of the panel I0 by a metallic shell casing or shield having an opentruncated conical portion 16 enclosing the screen and portion Hi of thedevice and'a cup-shaped portion I! having an apertured end surroundingthe neck portion I3 adjacent the portion 14. The casing is affixed tothe panel by screws and nuts extending through a flange portion [8projecting from the large diameter end of the casing and the tube H iscoaxially mounted within the casing and extends horizontally from therear of the panel 10.

An annular electromagnetic coil 19, shown in Figs. 2 and 3, is fittedinto the cup portion I! of the casing and surrounds the neck portion l3or the tube to deflect the beam projected toward the screen of thedevice, the coil being provided with suitable terminals 29 on theforward end, to apply various deflection voltages to the windings of thecoil. The coil is also provided with metallic end collars 21 which clampthe coil therebetween by bolts 22. The coil is held within the casing bylock screws 23 extending through elongated slots 24 in the cup portion11, the lock screws being insulated from the casing by bushings 25 andthe inner ends of the screws being threaded into the collars 21 torigidly position the coil in the casing. The deflection coil 19 may beadjustably controlled in rotational and horizontal relation to thedevice to position the coil in coaxial symmetry with the axis of thetube. When it is desired to adjust the coil longitudinally with respect'to the neck portion of the tube II, the lock screws are released fromthe collars so that the coil may be moved along the neck of the tube tosecure the proper relation of the coil to the beam projected through thetube. The lock screws are then tightened to maintain the position of thecoil in the casing. If it is desired to rotate the coil with respect tothe tube axis, the bolts 22 in the end collars are released whereby thecoil may be turned to the proper position and the bolts are thentightenedto clamp the coil between the collars.

In addition to the magnetic deflection of the beam of the tube, anannular adjustablefocussing and centering permanent magnet structure 26is mounted around the neck portion I3 of the tube and is supported onthe apertured external end of the cup portion H of the casing by screws.This structure is provided with a rotatable shaft 2'! to control a shuntring, not shown, to vary the magnetic field of the focussing magnet. Asuitable flexible cable 28 connects this shaft to the panel, for exampleby suitable adjusting mechanism not shown,'to'focus the spot appearingon the screen of the tube. The centering of the beam along the axis ofthe tube is controlled by a pair of rotatable shafts associated with thepermanent magnet structure, one of which is shown at 30 in Fig. 2, andthese shaft are coupled to flexible cables, not shown, which extend tothe vertical and horizontal adjustments on the panel 10.

Since the beam is susceptible to extraneous vibration which might causeerroneous indication of the spot on the screen, the tube I l isresiliently supported in the casing to eliminate vibration and shockbeing transmitted to the tube. T his is accomplished by a cushion ring32, shown in Fig. 3, preferably of soft rubber, which engages the innerperiphery of the coil 19 at the forward end and the neck portion of thetube and forms a conical seat for the portion 14 of the tube. The neckportion of the tube i also centrally cushioned in the mounting by anelastic rubber ring 33 on the permanent magnet structure 26 so that thetube is physically separated from the rigidly mounted casing byshockabsorbing material which inhibits vibration disturbances affectingthe movement of the beam within the long path in the tube. Theadjustable focussing and centering magnet structure 26 is more fullydisclosed and claimed in U. S. Patent 2,418,487, issued April 8, 1947.

The base portion of the cathode ray tube is further supported from thecasing by a socket 34 which engages the terminals on the base [2 tofacilitate circuit connections of the electrodes in the device toassociate apparatus mounted behind the panel. The socket is resilientlyattached to the magnet structure 26 by tension springs 35 secured toprojection studs 36 on the socket and the magnet. This arrangement formsan efficient mounting assembly of the cathode ray tube and thecooperating magnetic components which embrace the tube and facilitatesthe location of the screen of the tube in suitable relation to anopening in the panel whereby the spot indication on the screen may bereadily viewed and utilized in coordination with a transparent scope 37mounted in telescopic relation in the large open end of the casingadjacent the opening in the panel.

The cover member or scope, which may be of the multilayer type, is alsoprovided with a rubber cushion ring 38 to cradle the screen end of thetube H in the mountingand the shell casing is provided with a series ofminiature sockets 39 mounted in staggered relation around the peripheryof the shell to receive miniature button lamps 49 to selectivelyilluminate various sections of the scope.

The multiple indicator scope 31 is described and claimed in myapplication Serial No. 522,- 907, filed February 18, 1944 and referencethereto is made for the detailed assembly and functional cooperation ofthe scope with the cathode ray tube ll contained in the mounting of thisinvention.

While the above description has been confined to a specific constructionof the unitary cathode ray tube mounting, it is, of course, understoodthat various modifications may be made in the assembly as hereindescribed without departing from the scope and spirit of the inventionas defined in the appended claims.

What is claimed:

1. A cathode ray device mounting comprising a metallic shell casinghaving an open portion of large area surrounding the large diameterportion of said device and an apertured cup portion surrounding the neckof said device, an annular magnetic coil surrounding said neck andadjustably mounted within said cup portion, an adjustable permanentmagnet surrounding said neck and supported on the rear of said cupportion, a socket resiliently mounted on said magnet and attached to theterminal end of said device, and yieldable members supported by saidcoil and magnet cushioning said device in the mounting.

2. A cathode ray device mounting comprising a metallic shell casinghaving an open portion of large area surrounding the large diameterportion of said device and an apertured cup portion surrounding the neckof said device, an annular magnetic coil surrounding said neck andmounted within said cup portion, "means for adjusting said coillongitudinally within said casing, means for rotationally adjusting saidcoil with respect to said device, an adjustably permanent magnetsupported on the apertured end of said cup portion, a socket resilientlymounted on said magnet and attached to the terminal end of said device,and rubber cushion rings on the extremities of said coil and magnetengaging the neck of said device.

3. A cathode ray device mounting comprising a metallic shell casinghaving an open portion of large area surrounding the large diameterportion of said device and an apertured cup portion surrounding the neckof said device, an annular magnetic deflection coil surrounding saidneck and adjustably mounted within said cup portion, a focussing magnetsurrounding said neck and supported on the rear of said cup portion, asocket resiliently mounted on said magnet and attached to the terminalend of said device, yieldable members supported by said coil and magnetcushioning said device in the mounting, and a transparent cover memberextending across the open end of said shell casing.

l. A cathode ray device mounting comprising a metallic shell casinghaving an open portion of large area surrounding the large diam terportion of said device and an apertured cup portion surrounding the neckof said device, an annular magnetic coil surrounding said neck andadjustably mounted Within said cup portion, an adjustable permanentmagnet surrounding said neck and supported on the rear of said cupportion, a socket resiliently mounted on said magnet and attached to theterminal end of said device, yieldable members supported by said coiland magnet cushioning said device in the mounting, and a multiscaletransparent member covering the open end of said shell casing.

5. A cathode ray device mounting comprising a metallic shell casinghaving an open portion of large area surrounding the fluorescent screenof said device and an apertured cup portion surrounding the neck of saiddevice, a magnetic coil surrounding said neck and adjustably mountedwithin said cup portion, an adjustable permanent magnet surrounding saidneck and supported on the rear of said cup portion, a socket resilientlymounted on said magnet and attached to the terminal end of said device,and a multilayer luminescent scope disposed before the screen of saiddevice in the open end of said casing.

6. A cathode ray device mounting comprising a metallic shell casinghaving an open portion of large area surrounding the large diameterportion of said device and an apertured cup portion surrounding the neckof said device, a, magnetic coil surrounding said neck and adjustablymounted within said cup portion, an adjustable permanent magnetsurrounding said neck and supported on the rear of said cup portion, asocket resiliently mounted on said magnet and attached to the terminalend of said device, a multilayer luminescent scope disposed before saiddevice in the open end of said casing, and a plurality of radiallydirected lamps mounted in relation to the layers in said scope andsupported by said casing.

7. A cathode ray device mounting comprising a metallic shell casinghaving an open portion of large area surrounding the large diameterportion of said device and an apertured cup portion surrounding the neckof said device, an annular magnetic coil surrounding said neck andadjustably mounted within said cup portion, an adjustable permanentmagnet surrounding said neck and supported on the rear of said cupportion, a socket adapted to receive the terminal base on the neck endof said device, and tension spring supports extending between saidsocket and said permanent magnet.

8. A cathode ray tube mounting comprising an apertured panel, a metallicshell casing extending horizontally from said panel, said casing havinga tapered portion surrounding the large diameter portion of said tubeand an apertured cup portion surrounding the neck of said tube, amagnetic coil within said cup portion, a focussing magnet coaxiallymounted on the rear of said cup portion, a socket for accommodating theterminalend of said tube, tension springs supporting said socket on saidmagnet, and distributed cushion rings on said coil and magnet embracingsaid tube.

9. A cathode ray tube mounting comprising an apertured panel, a metallicshell casing extending horizontally from said panel, said casing havinga tapered portion surrounding the large diameter portion of said tube,and an apertured' cup portion surrounding the neck of said tube, amagnetic coil within said cup portion, a focus sing magnet coaxiallymounted on said cup portion and surrounding said neck portion, a, socketfor accommodating the terminal end of said tube, tension springssupporting said socket on said magnet, a transparent cover platedisposed in the end of said shell adjacent said panel, and a series ofcushion members on said cover plate, coil and magnet engaging adjacentportions of said tube.

10. A cathode ray tube mounting comprising an apertured panel, ametallic shell casing extending horizontally from said panel, saidcasing having a tapered portion surrounding the large diameter portionof said tube and an apertured cup portion surrounding the neck of saidtube, a magnetic coil within said cup portion, a focussing magnet onsaid cup portion and surrounding said neck portion, a resilientlysupported socket engaging the termina1 end of said tube, a transparentcover plate disposed in the end of said shell adjacent said panel, and aseries of cushion rings on said cover plate, coil and magnet engagingadjacent portions of said tube, said rings having decreasing diametersto conform to the difierent diameters of the tube as it extends awayfrom said panel.

11. In a cathode ray tube mounting, a metallic shell casing having alarge diameter portion surrounding the tapered portion of said tube, anda cup portion surrounding the neck of said tube, said cup portion havingspaced slots on opposite sides thereof, an annular coil within said cupportion coaxial with the axis of said tube and casing, and vadjustablelocking means extending throughsaid slots to fix the position of saidcoil in relation to said tube.

12. In a cathode ray tube mounting, a panel, a metallic shell casinghaving a large diameter portion surrounding the tapered portion of saidtube and an apertured cup portion surrounding 8 theneck of said tube, anadjustable focussing permanent magnet surrounding the neck of said tubeand alfixed coaxially and externally to said apertured cup portion, anadjustable centering 5 magnet associated with said focussing magnet,

and control means extending from said panel to said focussing andcentering magnets.

PHILIP T. SPROUL.

